A severe thunderstorm moved slowly west from the nearshore Atlantic waters onshore Tavernier, producing wind damage a few blocks from the shoreline.
Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.
Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.
The episode as NWS KEY wrote it up.
A severe thunderstorm moved slowly west from the nearshore Atlantic waters onshore Tavernier, producing wind damage a few blocks from the shoreline.
The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.
NWS Key West, FL wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Oct 8, 9:34 PM EST, 56 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION FOR THE FLORIDA KEYS NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE KEY WEST FL 1034 PM EDT SAT OCT 8 2011 .DISCUSSION... CURRENTLY - THE COMBINATION OF A LOW LEVEL INVERTED TROUGH TUCKED IN THE SOUTHERN PERIPHERY OF A STRONG HIGH OVER THE EASTERN UNITED STATES...AND A SHARP MID AND UPPER LEVEL TROUGH OVER FLORIDA...THE KEYS...BAHAMAS...AND CUBA HAS RESULTED IN LARGE AREAS OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS. ACTIVITY THROUGH THE LATE EVENING HOURS HAS BECOME FOCUSED OVER THE UPPER KEYS AND SURROUNDING WATERS. AN IMPRESSIVE AMOUNT OF RAIN HAS FALLEN ACROSS THE UPPER KEYS THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. SO FAR...AROUND 9 INCHES OF RAIN HAS BEEN REPORTED THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING A SENSOR IN KEY LARGO. WATER VAPOR IMAGERY SUGGESTS THAT A DRY SLOT ALOFT IS WORKING ITS WAY NORTHEASTWARD IN FROM WEST OF THE MARQUESAS KEYS AND THE MIDDLE KEYS. VIRTUALLY NO SHOWER ACTIVITY HAS BEEN DETECTED IN THIS REGION FOR MUCH OF THE EVENING. THE STRONGER GRADIENT REMAINS JUST NORTH OF OUR FORECAST AREA...AND OUTSIDE OF CONVECTIVE ACTIVITY...WINDS ARE ONLY GENTLE TO MODERATE. SHORT TERM UPDATE (OVERNIGHT) - IT APPEARS THAT THE LULL IN CONVECTIVE ACTIVITY FOR THE LOWER AND MIDDLE KEYS WILL REMAIN BASED ON PATTERNS AND TRENDS OBSERVED IN SATELLITE AND RADAR IMAGERY. THE DEEP CONVECTION SHOULD FOLLOW THE LOW LEVEL TROUGH LIFTING SLOWLY NORTHWARD AS THE TROUGH ALOFT PIVOTS UP ACROSS FLORIDA. ACTIVITY IN THE UPPER KEYS REGION SHOULD GRADUALLY WEAKEN THROUGH THE OVERNIGHT PERIOD. THE DRY SLOT SPREADING THROUGH THE WESTERN PORTION OF THE SERVICE AREA IS EXPECTED TO THICKEN AND REACH LOWER IN THE TROPOSPHERE. FOR THIS REASON...WILL SPLIT THE ZONES AND LOWER POPS TO 40 PERCENT FOR THE LOWER AND MIDDLE KEYS...KEEPING CATEGORICAL ACROSS THE UPPER KEYS. AS THE TROUGH SHIFTS NORTHWARD...THE TIGHTER PRESSURE GRADIENT WILL MOVE WITH IT...AND WINDS SHOULD CONTINUE A GRADUAL DOWNWARD TREND THROUGH THE REMAINDER OF TONIGHT. && .MARINE... NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE FOR AT LEAST SEVERAL MORE HOURS ACROSS THE NEAR AND OFFSHORE WATERS OF THE UPPER KEYS. ONLY ISOLATED TO SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE PRESENT ON REMAINING WATERS. THE COMBINATION OF REPEATED CONVECTIVE OUTFLOW BOUNDARIES...AND A TIGHTER PRESSURE GRADIENT TO THE EAST AND NORTH OF OUR AREA WILL KEEP A CAUTION UP FOR OUR GULF WATERS...THE FLORIDA BAY...AND THE WATERS OFF OF THE UPPER KEYS. WINDS WILL BE ON A DOWN TREND...AND NO CAUTION WILL BE IN EFFECT FOR THE REMAINING STRAITS. SOME OF THE SHOWER AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL PRODUCE STRONG WINDS AND VERY ROUGH SEAS. MARINERS NEAR THIS ACTIVITY...ESPECIALLY IN THE UPPER KEYS...SHOULD REMAIN IN PORT UNTIL ACTIVITY DIMINISHES AND WEAKENS. && .AVIATION... VFR CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED AT THE ISLAND TERMINALS THROUGH THE OVERNIGHT PERIOD. IT APPEARS MOST OF THE SHOWERS THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY WILL REMAIN ACROSS THE UPPER KEYS AREA...AS WELL AS WELL WEST OF KEY WEST. AS A RESULT...THERE WILL ONLY A CHANCE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORM PRODUCING MVFR/IFR CONDITIONS AT THE ISLAND TERMINALS. SURFACE WINDS WILL BE NORTHEAST TO EAST AT 10 TO 15 KNOTS...TURNING MORE EAST TO SOUTHEAST OVERNIGHT. && .KEY WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... FL...NONE. GM...NONE. && PUBLIC/MARINE.........11 AVIATION/NOWCASTS.....FUTTERMAN DATA COLLECTION.......PARKE VISIT US ON THE WEB AT WWW.WEATHER.GOV/KEYWEST
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE KEY WEST FL 400 PM EDT SAT OCT 8 2011 FLZ076>078-GMZ031>034-042>044-052>055-072>075-091000- MONROE UPPER KEYS-MONROE MIDDLE KEYS-MONROE LOWER KEYS- FLORIDA BAY INCLUDING BLACKWATER AND BUTTONWOOD SOUNDS- BAYSIDE AND GULF SIDE FROM CRAIG KEY TO HALFMOON SHOAL OUT TO 5 FATHOMS- GULF WATERS FROM EAST CAPE SABLE TO CHOKOLOSKEE 20 TO 60 NM OUT AND BEYOND 5 FATHOMS- GULF OF MEXICO INCLUDING DRY TORTUGAS AND REBECCA SHOAL CHANNEL- HAWK CHANNEL FROM OCEAN REEF TO CRAIG KEY OUT TO THE REEF- HAWK CHANNEL FROM CRAIG KEY TO WEST END OF SEVEN MILE BRIDGE OUT TO THE REEF- HAWK CHANNEL FROM WEST END OF SEVEN MILE BRIDGE TO HALFMOON SHOAL OUT TO THE REEF- STRAITS OF FLORIDA FROM OCEAN REEF TO CRAIG KEY OUT 20 NM- STRAITS OF FLORIDA FROM CRAIG KEY TO WEST END OF SEVEN MILE BRIDGE OUT 20 NM- STRAITS OF FLORIDA FROM WEST END OF SEVEN MILE BRIDGE TO SOUTH OF HALFMOON SHOAL OUT 20 NM- STRAITS OF FLORIDA FROM HALFMOON SHOAL TO 20 NM WEST OF DRY TORTUGAS OUT 20 NM- STRAITS OF FLORIDA FROM OCEAN REEF TO CRAIG KEY 20 TO 60 NM OUT- STRAITS OF FLORIDA FROM CRAIG KEY TO WEST END OF SEVEN MILE BRIDGE 20 TO 60 NM OUT- STRAITS OF FLORIDA FROM WEST END OF SEVEN MILE BRIDGE TO SOUTH OF HALFMOON SHOAL 20 TO 60 NM OUT- STRAITS OF FLORIDA FROM HALFMOON SHOAL TO 20 NM WEST OF DRY TORTUGAS 20 TO 60 NM OUT- 400 PM EDT SAT OCT 8 2011 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE FLORIDA KEYS AND ADJACENT COASTAL WATERS. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT EXCESSIVE RAINFALL WILL OCCUR IN SOME LOCATIONS ALONG THE FLORIDA KEYS TONIGHT...LEADING TO STREET FLOODING. IN ADDITION...MINOR FLOODING OF URBAN OR LOW LYING AREAS IS POSSIBLE. SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED ACROSS THE FLORIDA KEYS AND SURROUNDING WATERS TONIGHT. THE PRIMARY THUNDERSTORM HAZARDS WILL BE WIND GUSTS NEAR 35 KNOTS AND FREQUENT CLOUD TO SURFACE LIGHTNING STRIKES. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY ISOLATED TO SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE ANTICIPATED NEAR THE FLORIDA KEYS AND ADJACENT WATERS SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY. THE PRIMARY THUNDERSTORM HAZARDS WILL BE CLOUD TO SURFACE LIGHTNING STRIKES AND LOCALLY GUSTY WINDS. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED. BS
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE KEY WEST FL
930 PM EDT SAT OCT 08 2011
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0850 PM TSTM WND GST 2 S KEY LARGO 25.08N 80.44W
10/08/2011 M46 MPH MONROE/UPPER KEYS FL MESONET
A WIND GUST OF 40 KNOTS WAS MEASURED BY THE SOUTH KEY
LARGO WEATHERFLOW INSTRUMENT.
&&
MPARKESPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE KEY WEST FL 1051 PM EDT SAT OCT 8 2011 FLZ076-090430- MONROE UPPER KEYS- INCLUDING THE COMMUNITIES OF...KEY LARGO 1051 PM EDT SAT OCT 8 2011 ...STRONG SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS MOVING INTO THE UPPER KEYS... AT 1048 PM NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGIST DETECTED STRONG SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS MOVING WEST NORTHWESTWARD AT 15 MPH...INTO THE UPPER KEYS BETWEEN ROCK HARBOR AND OCEAN REEF...INCLUDING NORTH KEY LARGO...THE ROUTE ONE CARD SOUND ROAD SPLIT...CARD SOUND ROAD...AND THE EIGHTEEN MILE STRETCH. THROUGH 1230 AM...THESE SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE TO PRODUCE TORRENTIAL DOWNPOURS ACCOMPANIED BY VISIBILITY NEAR ZERO...OCCASIONAL WIND GUSTS OF 35 TO 40 MPH...AND OCCASIONAL LIGHTNING STRIKES. THIS WILL CONTINUE TO CREATE VERY HAZARDOUS DRIVING CONDITIONS...ESPECIALLY ACROSS THE CARD SOUND ROAD AND IN NORTH KEY LARGO...GIVEN THE PONDING OF WATER ON THE OVERSEAS HIGHWAY AND LOCAL ACCESS WAYS. A FLOOD ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THESE AREAS. STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR FURTHER STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN KEY WEST. FUTTERMAN
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE KEY WEST FL
1110 PM EDT SAT OCT 08 2011
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0834 PM TSTM WND GST 8 SSE KEY LARGO 25.01N 80.38W
10/08/2011 M40.00 MPH GMZ052 FL C-MAN STATION
A THUNDERSTORM WIND GUST OF 35 KNOTS FROM THE EAST WAS
MEASURED AT THE MOLASSES REEF C-MAN STATION.
0919 PM TSTM WND GST 8 SSE KEY LARGO 25.01N 80.38W
10/08/2011 M41.00 MPH GMZ052 FL C-MAN STATION
A THUNDERSTORM WIND GUST OF 36 KNOTS FROM THE EAST WAS
MEASURED AT THE MOLASSES REEF C-MAN STATION.
&&
11The Miami radar (KAMX), 68 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 03:31 UTC.
1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Several 4-inch diameter tree limbs were downed, resulting in a snapped wood power pole and power outage to over 100 residences. Tree limb damage noted for two or three blocks from the Atlantic shoreline.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Florida in 2011Every state in 2011This day in weather historyWarnings in Florida, October 2011
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 352761.